This charming romantic debut from Alexandra Kiley warmed me from the inside out like a darling cup of tea. I was fully immersed in the setting of sleepy Scottish mountains, wild moors and dark lakes, swept away by the enemies-to-lovers story of Addie and Logan. It was a gorgeous excavation of grief, belonging, love, an archaeological exploration of Addie’s past as she allows herself to love again after the death of her mother. This story was magical and lovely, with just enough sugar and spice - keeping you glued to the pages as well as being completely cosy and comforting. Twinkly twilight scenes of clandestine kisses, shared in dark passageways of Scottish castles. It was deeply emotive and I found myself enchanted by the plot and characters. To be honest, I felt it was maybe a wee bit too long; pacing issues that lost me in the third act (third act breakup 💆😤 remain calm Alice) but all in all, Kilt Trip was easy, readable and a delight!

“An overwhelming sense of rightness enveloped him, arms and hearts looped together like an unbreakable Celtic knot.” 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🪢🥹🧡🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🪵🌲💖♾️🫶🏼 brb crying x

The tension between the two main characters is absolutely stunning! The initial spark that quickly turned to the typical enemies to lovers was great!

Lovely descriptions of Scotland itself and beautiful world building.

Kilt Trip follows the story of Addie Macrae, an American travel consultant, and Logan Sutherland, a Scottish tour guide. The pair meet when Addie is hired to help bring Logan's family tour guiding business "The Heart of the Highlands" from the brink of financial ruin. Logan loves showcasing the hidden gems of Scotland and is resistant to the changes Addie proposes. The two butt heads and Addie can't seem to find any way forward with Logan stonewalling her at every turn. But amongst the fighting, Logan learns that Addie has a personal connection to Scotland through her mother and her Macrae lineage. As Logan tries to convince Addie of the beauty of the less-touristy parts of Scotland, the two connect and the former rivals find love.

I really wanted to love this book - a heartfelt romance set in Scotland, yes please! But unfortunately this fell short. I didn't find the writing very engaging and the romance felt forced and unnatural. Logan dropped the l-bomb very early on and the pair went from rivals to lovers in a very short space of time without any real build up apart from a bit of insta-lust. The plot was generic and very predictable which I usually don't mind in a romance, but there was no real romantic tension between Logan and Addie beyond the physical. I also initially found Logan really annoying, and not in a charming kind of way, he just acted very childish.

I do like a book with a happy ending, but I felt like the resolution between Addie and her dad was a little unrealistic and superficial. I would have liked this to be more developed. It went from Addie not even being able to even mention her mum to her dad then voluntarily offering up information about her and the pair bonding over her memory.

I found this book a bit of a slog to get through - the writing style felt a bit forced and some of the similes and metaphors felt a bit jarring. For example: "her heart twitched like an indecisive squirrel darting back and forth in front of oncoming traffic." This took me way longer to read than it should have and I really struggled to get stuck into the uninspiring prose. I feel that the book could have been much shorter.

That being said I loved the Scottish setting. Alexandra Kiley did a good job of making the setting feel very enchanting and magical, although some of the historical facts and stories were a little dry. I also enjoyed the found family element of the book - with Addie embracing Logan's family as her own in lieu of her own emotionally-distant father.

Overall I give the book two stars - I found the setting cute but apart from that I didn't really enjoy it.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Kilt Trip will be published on 5th May 2024.

A stunning debut novel!

This story centres around Addie and Logan, who are working together to save his family’s tourist business.

The Scottish setting was perfect — the strong imagery, the metaphors, all captured Scotland so beautifully and it felt as if I was right there with them, the scene unfolding so vividly before me. Even if you’ve never been to Scotland before, you sure as hell will feel as if you have after reading this!

Addie and Logan were well developed characters with great depth to them. Addie, flighty and feelings avoidant who just wanted to feel like she belonged somewhere, was painfully relatable. Similarly, Logan, a steadfast and comforting character with so much love to give but worried about his ability to succeed, was equally beautifully written.

The tension between them was off the charts. There’s no doubt that Kiley is a phenomenal writer in that regard - the pacing was good, the romance even better, the banter had me giggling throughout and the chemistry between Logan and Addie was scorching hot.

I loved how much depth the story had to it. The way it dealt with grief and parental loss was delicate but deeply moving. It’s a novel about belonging, about feeling lost and trying to find a place for yourself in the world.

Thank you Bonnier Books Uk for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Before we had kids my husband and I took a trip to Edinburgh and fell in love with the city... So this book was pure joy to read. I could really imagine myself there again .. and a man in a kilt yes please.

When Addie comes to advise Logan tour company how to change for the better, there is a instant draw to each other. There chemistry was so delicious.

This books had leap year vibes which is one of my favourite films.

Do I now want to take a trip around Scotland? Yes yes I do.
This book was exactly what a needed, a feeling good read

Yes there is a third act break up of a kind, but definitely a happy ending.

This book is already out in us but comes out for us Brits 23rd may

I was kindly gifted this book by netgalley but the views are mine...

i spent new year in Edinburgh and when I saw this, i knew i had to read it.
I loved the chemistry between Addie and Logan and the story built up beautifully.
the descriptions of Scotland were so detailed, it made you think you were actually there.

As a Scottish person I knew that I had to read kilt Trip by Alexandra Kiley

This book was good it had beautiful descriptions of Scotland which made me feel as I was transported into the story. It was a sweet read and I loved the two main characters, Addie and Logan, you could see the chemistry between them right from the very start.

It was a slow start to the book and it took me a while to read but when reading parts of the book I felt as if my attention was going elsewhere

Overall this was a cute, fun read but I don’t think this book was for me. I recommend it to people who are looking for a light read or interested in all things Scottish !

*Thank you NetGalley and Bonnier Books Uk for providing me this Arc in return for an honest review*

As a Scottish person, I was drawn in to read this book immediately. The settings are described beautifully, and the reader is easily transported into Edinburgh by the writing.
I enjoyed reading our two main characters find and explore each other, in ways they didn't see coming.
Kilt Trip is a fun romantic read!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My review for Kilt Trip by Alexandra Kiley

DNF at 31%. I might be in a minority here, but this book wasn't for me. The enemies to lovers scenario between FMC and MMC felt fake and far-fetched. The rivalry made little to no sense. MMC's actions came across childish, and the way story jumped from one scene to another reminded me of a cliche Hallmark movie. This book had such great premise but it did not deliver, unfortunately.

This book was a cup-of-hot-chocolate kind of read. It actually gave me a similar experience to watching 'The Holiday' for the first time. A really lovely and lighthearted read from Alexandra Kiley! Kilt Trip really is a love letter to Scotland, and I found myself absolutely reminiscing on all the memorable time that I have spent in this magical country too. Addie and Logan were such lovable characters - and their story made for real heartwarming reading. I found the alternating perspectives interesting - and definitely found myself smiling as I read. I loved the enemies to lovers and found family tropes, and really couldn't put it down. Now to book a trip back to Scotland!

A special thank you to Bonnier Books UK | Zaffre, Alexandra Kiley & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my review.

4.5🌟

Who knew a man in a kilt could be so hot??!! I think I’ve found my new fixation.

‘Kilt Trip’ is a beautiful story about grief and forgiveness and ultimately finding a home; feeling like you belong somewhere. And can’t we all relate to that on some level?

I’m firstly going to comment on the beautiful descriptions we got in this book. The picturesque setting of Scotland were described so vividly in a way like I was right there along side Logan and Addie walking through the halls of each Castle. This book is also steeped in wondrous Scottish history. It was as if I was in a history lesson but not the boring kind, the kind where I’m intrigued to learn more. I can say for certain that this book has cemented the fact that I need to visit Scotland to visit the hidden treasures of the country.

Another thing I enjoyed was the side characters and sense of found family. It was so heartwarming to see how Logan’s family and friends welcomed Addie instantly and opened their arms to her into their family, immediately becoming a member of the Sutherland Clan.

Addie is a travel consultant whose focus is mainly on work and is afraid to open her heart to let someone in. Logan is taking over his family’s business—a tour guiding company—and turns his nose up at any sign of change. What they both share is a sense of loneliness and they both hold pent-up resentment toward family members—Addie with her dad for neglect her after the passing of her mother, and Logan with his brothers for leaving him to keep the company afloat on his own.

What I love about these characters is the strength each of them hold, yet they’re honestly both just so compassionate. Neither of them want to let down the people they hold dear. They both struggle with putting their own interest and wants first, and the journey they go on together of finding the strength to put forward their ideas is so lovely.

The chemistry and banter between Addie and Logan was just so entertaining to read. The rivals-to-lovers dynamic within a workplace setting created a tension filled space, making it quite satisfying when they eventually come together.

The thing i most appreciated is the author’s exploration of grief. The way they wrote about it didn’t define loss as just one thing, but as a complex thing that can be dealt with in different ways depending on the person. It was a heartbreakingly beautiful portrayal of how Addie loses her mother, yet also her father to his own grief. Addies grieves both parents and Kiley does this in a gentle and tender way.

Addie struggles with the death of her mother even after so many year have passed. She is proof that grief isn’t something that ever really fully goes away; it’s something you have to learn to live with. For Addie, being in Scotland was a contrast reminder of her mother, yet it was also the place she found the most connect to her and was able to find a home within in and let go of her grief, especially with the help of Logan.

I absolutely adored how he helped her—by tailoring tours to search for the places her mother had visited in the Polaroids—was so tender and loving. I love Logan for his ability to allow Addie to move forward in her own time. He didn’t push her, he waited for her to come to him. Their dynamic was so caring and patient, it allowed both of them room to grow.

Also, I loved when Addie growth extended into her career too. She finally was able to realise what she wanted professionally! That travelling the world was great but it wasn’t giving her what she needed most. A home. Addie put forward her ideas for the company, no longer afraid of disappointing her boss, but finally following what she believed clients wanted.

While Addie learns to get a new lease on life, Logan learns to believe in his ability to take over his family business. He’s so afraid to disappoint others that he doesn’t allow himself to take the company in the direct that he wants. But with Addies help and support from others he’s finally able to take the leap.

The epilogue here was just so sweet and perfect. Honestly because they’re perfect I loved them.

Thank you to netgalley and Alexandra Kiley for an arc of ‘Kilt Trip’ in exchange for an honest review.

—————-

tropes:
- travel consultant x tour guide
- kilt-wearing tour guide
- set in scottland
- insta-lust
- slow burn
- he falls first
- rivals-to-lovers
- workplace romance
- found family
- 3rd act breakup
- steeped in scottish history

content warnings:
- deals with grief / forgiveness
- death of a parent (past tense-off page)
- estranged parent

—————
Quotes:

- [ ] "She irked him to no end, but he couldn’t deny sparring with her gave him a heady rush.”
- [ ] “She brought a lot of chaos into his life, but also a lot of light. He’d feel her absence long after she’s gone.”
- [ ] “He wanted to know everything about Addie’s watchful green eyes, the stories she didn’t share tonight; and what her lips would taste like.”
- [ ] “He was undeniably drawn to the parts of her she kept hidden.”
- [ ] “It scared her how easily he comforted her, how she handed over pieces of herself without meaning to.”
- [ ] “He’s forgotten how small she was. She was always such a formidable opponent.”
- [ ] “But the quiet side of her that revealed her heart so carefully called to him in a way he had no choice but to answer.”
- [ ] “His heart recognised something in her. A reminder to see the world with fresh eyes. She made him feel adventurous.”
- [ ] “He was the sunset over a lake, mountains scraping the sky, uncharted territory, and endless expanse of wonder.”
- [ ] “Her rib cage was no longer any protection, her skin too thin, her heart trying to burst out to meet his. Logan always broke through her defenses.”
- [ ] “He didn’t want to lose her. Not now, not ever.”
- [ ] “He wanted to take all her lonely memories and replace them with his loud family.”
- [ ] "she will captivate your imagination, make you want to uncover the depths of her past. You'll fall in love with not just her beauty but also her heart."
- [ ] “while he loved kissing her in dark corners, all he really wanted was to hold her hand in the light.”
- [ ] “I can’t bear the thought of being without you.”
- [ ] “In the dreamy aftermath, she curled into him. Locked together; their breathing synched. Their heartbeats did, too.”
- [ ] “arms and hearts looper together like an unbreakable Celtic knot.”
- [ ] “He could take on anything with her by his side.”
- [ ] “You push me to take risks. Take a chance on me, Addie. I’m a good bet.”
- [ ] “You brought my heart back to life.”
- [ ] “I will always want to explore new places, but I want to come home when I’m done. And for me, that’s not out in the moor or anywhere else she went. It’s with you.”
- [ ] “After a life of wandering, she was finally home.”
- [ ] “Go explore the far reach of the earth. I hope to join you. But when you’re done, come home to me, lass.”
- [ ] “Look at me like you’ll love me your whole life through.”

*ARC review thanks to Netgalley and the publisher*

As someone who spent a few weeks last summer in Scotland and loved it, I couldn’t not read this book. It’s a gorgeous love letter to Scotland, with Logan working to convince Addie and the reader of the magic of his country. Through visits and stories, she’ll reconnect with her family history and learn to put down roots in a place that speaks to her heart. I enjoyed that part of the book very much, it’s an ode to finding where you belong, as well as to Scotland itself. The romance part of the story takes a bit of time to build, so at the beginning it felt a bit lacking. However it did build up well in the second half and all in this was a lovely book, so it’s a 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4) read for me and a renewed obsession for going back to Scotland.

**
“My life stopped when my mom died. And it restarted somewhere on the banks of Loch Ness. It might have even started that time you stepped back to reveal the skyline in the gloaming, and I recognized that feeling of in-between. You brought my heart back to life.”
**

As a Scot, there's were some elements of this romantic comedy that I adored and others that made me cringe. I get the impression that Logan was inspired by someone like Outlander's Jamie Fraser. This is something I had to remind myself, as I found his vernacular (for example: “Och, lass") reminiscent of one of my granddad's mates down the pub rather than a muscular, passionate, kilt wearing adonis. I personally found it a bit jarring at times.

That being said, I definitely had a soft-spot for our brooding tour guide and the chemistry between him and Addie was palpable from the very first chapter. I did find our FMC a little frustrating at times. I understand she was still healing, however, I felt she often came across as bitter and self-destructive. I also would have loved to have read a proper reconciliation with her father rather than a few lines tagged on in the epilogue.

On the surface, Kilt Trip is an enjoyable romantic comedy, however, it's also about appreciating and finding solace in our past through sharing stories and making meaningful connections, which I found really comforting and uplifting. Even though it lent heavily into some stereotypes, I did love how this book read like a love letter to Scotland. It really captured the beauty the Highlands and Edinburgh's rich history.

I loved this! rivals to lvoers is one of my favourite tropes and this delivered on every front!! the added lowborn where he falls first was the cherry on top it was so good. the spice was exquisit and just the perfect amount!

the book talked about some really emotional topics as well which allowed me to connect to these characters on a much deeper level. trigger warnings apply! it was short and sweet and so perfect with the scenery being set in Scotland.

can't recommend this enough as a quick and perfect read! a stunning debut novel with lots of character and romance.

A really lovely story with beautiful, detailed descriptions of Edinburgh. for someone who has travelled to the city, it was a lovely way of remembering different parts! I

This was a love letter to Scotland - the authors love for the country really shone through. As well as a lot of historical facts that came through in such an easy way. I want to book a tour of Scotland immediately with Logan at the helm, in his kilt.

What to expect:

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Mistaken Identity
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Insta Love
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Slow Burn
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Found Family
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Lots of historical information

The couple Addie and Logan fell deeply it was an insta love but slow burn kind of vibe. My only criticism of the book is that I didn't fell super connected to the characters, especially Addie. So I felt the book lag in places. This is obviously personal to me. Their relationship was full of miscommunication and unspoken words, and I just wanted to get back to the authors amazing descriptions on Scotland.

I would recommend reading this book if you love Scotland and want to to learn more about it alongside a romance that touches on topics of wanderlust, grief and the importance of finding where you belong.

3.75 ⭐️

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Will be sharing in my socials near publication day.

Thank you to Bonnier Books and Alexandra Kiley for allowing me to review Kilt Trip in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was so excited to get approved for Kilt Trip, I have been counting down the days for its release since Kindle suggested it as a book I might like. So, was it worth the wait?
First meeting sparks; crackling electricity of enemies to lovers with a slow burn tightrope walk between the blurry lines of hate and love, plunging into all-consuming passionate (and wee spicy) romance. Check and check. I knew five chapters in this was going to be a romance to gobble up in one sitting but gird your loins lassies for it’s a slow burn, up-hill romance.

Alexandra Kiley wrote a masterful plot full of longing, healing journeys of discovery and forgiveness, hooking me in for a swoony romance set between two well-developed, relatable characters set in one of my favourite countries (my native Scotland) and topped with the cherry of a kilted MMC. The plot’s a slow development over a couple of months with lots of tension and resistance – this makes the pacing a little slow after a big bang opening, a few readers might find this off-putting, but there is a deliberate purpose to this. Subtly building trust and friendship between the protagonists, Logan and Addie. I kept turning the pages with a knowing smile because I could see this chess strategy at play in each chapter allowing the root of romance to take hold alongside the spark of attraction.

The writing does a wonderful job of capturing the essence of Scotland – her mystery, magic, and rich historical & clan heritage. I appreciated the realism of how life is in Scotland – it’s not all kilts, ceilidhs, wild mountain landscapes, and dreamy days. It can be cold, dreik and with the housing crisis depressing. The little local facts and nuggets of history woven into the story allowed Scotland to come alive on the page vividly, but honestly.

A charming cast of loveable characters fills the pages of Kilt Trip – beautifully brought to life with real emotional depth, personal struggle, and self-doubt. You feel every emotion and can easily relate to the character ARC journeys of both Addie and Logan as they open up to one another after their personality clashes and antics. The way all the characters engage caught my heart – you can’t help but get tangled up with Logan's character whose purpose is to share joy and build deep connections between people and places (when he’s not being a stubborn Bawbag, there is a kilted man with a protector instinct and heart of gold).

If you are a romance lover with a thing for Scots, Kilt Trip should be on your TBR. Romance readers, I know there is one burning question on your minds. Is Logan a natural Scotsman under the plaid of his kilt? Well, I don’t do spoilers, you’ll have to read Kilt Trip for yourself to find out.

Addie is a travel consultant who finds herself in Scotland when she's sent on assignment to help a failing tour company in Edinburgh. The tour company is a family run tour company. Addie wants to focus on her job however, Logan does not want Scotland to turn into some tourist trap! This leads them both to clashing. However, Logan learns about Addie's connection to Scotland through some photos of Addie's mum.
After discovering this, Logan takes Addie on a private tour to all the places in these photos. Addie finds herself falling for Logan but knows her contact is ending soon which means they have to confront their feelings.

Kilt trip is a great holiday read and great for enemies to lovers. There is a little bit of spice but is a slow burn (really slow) so if that is what you are looking for this book is for you!
I do feel as though it was VERY Scottish which I didn't always vibe with and as I said, is a slow burn which I am not always into but that is a preference of mine!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Views are my own.

‘Kilt Trip’ by Alexandra Kiley is an emotional and spicy romance set across beautiful Scottish landscapes and lesser known attractions. The main characters are Boston-based travel consultant Addie who feels rootless and is drawn to an Edinburgh assignment because her late mother and distant father honeymooned there, and tour guide Logan who looks fantastic in a kilt and throws himself into off-the-beaten-track itineraries. While they both feel instant attraction, Logan is reluctant to indulge Addie’s commercialistic ideas and Addie may just have told a few white lies… setting off a brilliant enemies-to-lovers tale.

I really enjoyed the depth of the characters, the way they opened up to each other and the realistic conflict. Addie’s Polaroids added a gorgeous layer to the narrative, and there was enough humour and joy to offset the sadness permeating many of the pages.

At its heart it’s a story of sharing joy with others, finding yourself and forming deep connections with people and places, and I really enjoyed it!

I received an advance copy from the publisher for review consideration. Opinions my own.

Title: Kilt Trip By Alexandra Kiley

Release Date: May,23rd 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars

"Kilt Trip" by Alexandra Kiley takes readers on a delightful journey through the picturesque landscapes of Scotland. With its charming characters and humorous plot twists, this novel is a perfect escape for anyone craving a romantic adventure.

Addie Macrae, a globetrotting travel consultant, finds herself in Scotland on assignment to assist a struggling family-run tour company. Initially resistant to the idea of exploring her Scottish roots, Addie focuses on her job, much to the chagrin of Logan Sutherland, who runs the company. As they clash over tourist traps and Loch Ness myths, Logan learns of Addie's personal connection to Scotland through her late mother's Polaroids.
In a bid for peace, Logan creates a private tour based on the photos, leading Addie to unexpected discoveries and a growing attraction between them. However, with Addie's contract ending soon and financial pressures mounting, they must confront their feelings amidst the enchantment of Scotland's hidden gems.

From the clash of personalities between Addie and Logan to the heartwarming exploration of Addie's Scottish roots, this story had me engaged until the end.

Tropes:

Scottish, Kilt wearing MMC ;)
Enemies to Lovers
Hidden Past
Romantic Comedy

This story is a delightful and heartwarming read from start to finish

Thank you to Bonnier Books UK | Zaffre, Alexandra Kiley & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.